2016 was a huge year for the loveable Venezuelan; with the launch of his ABC sitcom Lost in Pronunciation and a stand up special called Chorizo Sizzle. With these recent successes, Aristeguieta had more pressure to deliver during his Comedy Festival run than he’d ever faced before. Not that you’d have known it however. Juithy is 60 minutes of savvy and smart stand up that’ll have you laughing, clapping or thinking deeply. Sometimes all at the same time.
About a minute into the show it’s instantly hard not to love him. His energy is palpable and his wit on point. Good stand-up comics are usually impressive, however to be a successful and genuinely entertaining one in a foreign country in your second language is just insanely remarkable. It is seriously hard to remember that it’s not being his first language. Not due to his accent, which is still strong and charming, but due to the fact he has a grasp on the English language that would rival most locals who have been speaking English and English alone since they were a kid. He can even turn a phrase or throw down a mean alliteration on a whim. He knows the language inside out and get the best out of it.
Juithy is heavily based on being an immigrant coming to Australia and becoming “Aussie” and embracing our land and lifestyle wholeheartedly. To the point where he now starts to complain, like we all do. Particularly about our ‘ridiculously high standards’. His example of our lofty expectations is that most Australians classify Adelaide as the ‘biggest shithole’ they can think of. Yet Adelaide is the fifth most liveable city in the world he points out, and that’s how lucky we are! He calls us on a lot of things, but never for one second do you feel like arcing up. We know our shortcomings as Australians and he pokes us playfully and repeatedly about them.
Not only is Juithy hilarious, it’s brimming with heart. From a tale of the breakdown of his 16-year relationship to likening the feeling of being an immigrant to being akin to being broken up with. Long after the laughs subside you’ll still be thinking about the heartfelt content cleverly stitched throughout the show.
By Alexander Crowden.
